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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24332284">That Shrewd and Knavish Sprite</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikkimouse/pseuds/mikkimouse'>mikkimouse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gargoyles (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: The Price, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:21:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,922</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24332284</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikkimouse/pseuds/mikkimouse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"A question for you, Mr. Burnett," Hudson said. </p>
<p>Owen did not look over to him. "What's that?" </p>
<p>"Are you Puck?"</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>That Shrewd and Knavish Sprite</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>One of the things I noticed when I was <a href="https://mad-madam-m.tumblr.com/post/617405947634188288/oh-hey-did-you-guys-miss-me-rambling-incoherently">rambling about The Price</a> is that Hudson tries to get under Owen's skin the same way he does with Xanatos. However, it doesn't work because there's a very key thing about Owen that Hudson doesn't know. When I was talking to <a href="https://twitter.com/paintedrecs">painted</a> about the episode, I said I was reasonably sure that if Hudson <em>had</em> known that Owen was Puck, that conversation would've gone very differently. She told me to write it; I laughed and said no way. </p>
<p>I woke up the next morning with half the story in my head and ended up writing the whole damn thing over the next couple of days instead of literally anything <em>else</em> I was supposed to be working on, which I suppose will teach me to say "no way" when my muse gets hold of a new toy.</p>
<p>Title, as usual, is from <em>A Midsummer Night's Dream</em>.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hudson sat in the cage and thought. There wasn't much else he could do right now beyond wait and think, so he did both. He was not sure how much time he had before the sun rose, but he was reasonably certain as soon as he woke the night after, Xanatos was going to dunk him in that bubbling bathtub and see what the result was. So Hudson had only until the sunrise to figure out what he was going to do.</p>
<p>Brisk footsteps sounded on the stairs, and a moment later, Owen emerged from the gloom.</p>
<p>Hudson grunted. "Have you finished harassing my clan for the night?"</p>
<p>"Hardly." Owen adjusted his glasses and peered into the cauldron. "Macbeth is running smoothly. I'm simply checking our progress here."</p>
<p>Hudson crossed his arms and studied the man, wondering again what it was that he wanted out of this. <em>Service is its own reward</em>, pah. He'd not met many humans with that point of view.</p>
<p>But.</p>
<p>Hm.</p>
<p>He drummed his fingers on a bar at the bottom of the cage. Some time ago, Demona had mentioned Xanatos had one of the Third Race working for him. Not a word of warning, not from her, but a taunt, a reminder that she knew something they didn't. </p>
<p>Hudson had dismissed it as a lie at the time, as Demona would say anything to further her own ends, but that...might have been less of a lie than he'd thought. </p>
<p>Of course, the question was <em>which</em> of Oberon's Children worked for Xanatos, but Demona was not quite as crafty as she would like to think. There was only one she'd summoned, after all, and Hudson didn't think even she was foolish enough to attempt that with one she hadn't had some previous interaction with. </p>
<p>He studied Owen as he carefully checked the cauldron, and Hudson turned their—limited—interactions in his head. Xanatos was not a good man, but he was a smart one, and Hudson could not imagine him making a deal with one of Oberon's Children without having a way to retain the upper hand. He would also, surely, keep them close, because what was the point of such a bargain otherwise? </p>
<p>It made a very strange sort of sense, and would explain how Owen <em>did</em> always fade into the background, sliding out of notice even if you were looking for him. </p>
<p>Well, only one way to find out. Although if that <em>were</em> the case, Hudson would need to tread very, very carefully. </p>
<p>Owen pulled out his phone and started dialing. </p>
<p>"A question for you, Mr. Burnett," Hudson said. </p>
<p>Owen did not look over to him. "What's that?" </p>
<p>"Are you Puck?" </p>
<p>Someone else might have missed the way Owen fumbled his phone, the way the line of his back went a little stiffer and straighter, but Hudson was watching.</p>
<p>"Perhaps you've gotten forgetful in your old age," Owen said. "My name is Owen Burnett." </p>
<p>His voice wasn't significantly different, maybe just a bit tighter. But it wasn't a denial. Sounded like one, sure, but it wasn't a flat no.</p>
<p>"Demona seemed to think Xanatos had one of Oberon's Children working for him," Hudson said conversationally. "Running her mouth about it the last time we tangled. I didn't put much stock in it, but thought as long as you've got me stuck in this glowing green bird cage, couldn't hurt to ask." </p>
<p>Owen narrowed his eyes. "And you think it's me?" </p>
<p>"Can't imagine it being anyone else in this organization," Hudson said. </p>
<p>Owen flipped his phone shut and tucked it back into the pocket of his suit jacket. "A fascinating thought." He started to walk away, and then paused before he disappeared into the dark. </p>
<p>Hudson waited and considered how worried he should be. He knew the stories of the Third Race, but hadn't many dealings with them. Certain things were best left alone. </p>
<p>"Why Puck?" Owen asked. </p>
<p>Hudson heard him, but said, "Come again?" </p>
<p>Owen turned and took three brisk steps back toward him. "You said Demona told you one of Oberon's Children worked for this organization. Why do you think it's Puck?" </p>
<p><em>Heh.</em> "Because she summoned him. And even Demona's not fool enough to mess with one of Oberon's Children she knows nothing about." </p>
<p>Owen smiled wryly. "Are you sure?" </p>
<p>"She's changed some over the years," Hudson allowed, "but Demona's always been good about saving her own skin."</p>
<p>"I'll take your word for it," Owen said, and turned again to leave. </p>
<p>"So is it a binding or a contract?" Hudson asked, and then shook his head. "No, must be a contract. Don't think you'd be helping him this much if you were forced into it." </p>
<p>Owen looked back to him. "You seem very certain that you're right." </p>
<p>"Well, you're not doing much to refute it." Hudson shrugged. "Tell me I'm wrong." </p>
<p>Owen glared at him. "I told you already." </p>
<p>"Aye, told me your name is Owen." Hudson nodded. "You didn't say you're not Puck."</p>
<p>He half-expected the man to walk up the stairs and leave him be. But Hudson was betting it had been a long, <em>long</em> time since anybody other than Xanatos and Demona had known him for who he was, and if their one interaction was any indication, Puck was something of a show-off.  </p>
<p>Owen sighed, took off his glasses, folded them, and tucked them into the front pocket of his suit. And then he grinned. </p>
<p>He hadn't changed physically, no. He was still wearing the same dark double-breasted suit and red tie, the same blond hair and blue eyes. But with that grin, his entire demeanor shifted, like the strings holding up a stiff puppet had suddenly been cut, and Hudson knew he wasn't talking to Owen anymore. </p>
<p>This was Puck. </p>
<p>He gave a slow clap. "Well, congratulations, Hudson. Took someone long enough to figure it out. Well, Demona did, but that was less figuring it out and more being told directly, so it really doesn't count." The grin, already worrying, took on a sharp edge. "I really <em>should</em> get back at you for that business with stealing the Grimorum."</p>
<p>Hudson had the feeling he was walking on very thin ice. "You did throw me across the room." </p>
<p>"Ah, a point. It's Detective Maza I owe, then, for the crutch." </p>
<p>Hudson growled. </p>
<p>Puck waved it away. "Oh, <em>relax</em>, old man, I'm not going to do anything to her. Well, not <em>now</em>. Can't in this form. Part of the contract, you see? He chose Owen, not Puck."</p>
<p>"He?" Easy enough to guess who Puck meant. "Xanatos?" </p>
<p>"Mm-hmm." Puck leaned on the edge of the cauldron, arms crossed over his chest. "A choice between a lifetime of service from Owen, or one wish from Puck." He tapped his chin. "Which would you choose, I wonder? Eh, it doesn't matter. I can't do it anyway, and you'd probably avoid making a bargain in the first place. You seem boring like that." </p>
<p>Hudson's eyebrows shot up. "A <em>lifetime</em> of service? Why in the world would you be offering him <em>that</em> choice?" </p>
<p>Puck shrugged. "Because it's <em>fun</em>, Hudson. There are a lot of things you can say about Mr. Xanatos," that grin was back, "but he's not boring." </p>
<p>"Aye," Hudson agreed. "That's true enough." </p>
<p>He could think of a lot of <em>other</em> words to describe Xanatos, but no, boring wasn't one of them. Not even from his perspective. </p>
<p>"Could you have given him immortality?" Hudson asked. </p>
<p>"Sure. Easily. But he didn't take it." Puck spread his arms. "Chose a human instead."</p>
<p>There was a strange light in Puck's eyes, like he was...impressed? Huh, that was something. Hudson imagined it took a lot to impress someone like Puck. "So now you're helping him with this mad quest." </p>
<p>"That <em>was</em> part of the bargain. There's limitations, of course, but I feel I've done a pretty good job being a model assistant, don't you?" He held up his hands and made quotes with his fingers. "'Mad quest' or no." </p>
<p>"I'm surprised you're encouraging it," Hudson said. "Seems to me like you'd know the pitfalls of immortality better than most." </p>
<p>Puck scowled. "And yet you don't see me looking for a spell of mortality, do you? Not everybody thinks those pitfalls are <em>bad</em>." </p>
<p>Hudson nodded at the cauldron. "So do you want him to succeed?"</p>
<p>Puck shrugged. "Do I look like I care?"</p>
<p>"If he does, you're bound for all eternity," Hudson said. "Can't imagine you risking your immortal freedom for a bit of fun. Demona letting you make mischief all across the city, that's fun. This..." Hudson shook his head; he wasn't sure <em>what</em> this was. "It isn't just that. So that means either you don't think he'll succeed, which means a few decades of service is a mere pittance, or you actually want him to. Which is it?"</p>
<p>Puck's blue eyes were suddenly cold with anger. "Sounds to me like none of your business is what it is."</p>
<p>So he likely <em>did</em> want Xanatos to succeed, but Hudson wasn't foolish enough to put words into Puck's mouth. The ice he was walking on was too thin as-is. He sat on the floor of his cage and dropped the subject. "Fair enough."</p>
<p>That, perhaps not surprisingly, did nothing to placate Puck. "You know, you ask too many questions."</p>
<p>"Questions are how you learn things," Hudson said, "and being that this world is still new to me, I've got a lot that need asking. And some questions need answering, if only for yourself."</p>
<p>
  <em>I don't need to know why you're doing this, but you surely do.</em>
</p>
<p>"Well, no need to worry about me," Puck said. "Your friendly old man advice routine might work on others, but when it comes to age and experience, I think I've got you beat."</p>
<p>"Perhaps." Hudson nodded. "But we all lie to ourselves from time to time."</p>
<p>"I don't," Puck snapped.</p>
<p>The vehemence with which he said it had Hudson drawing back. Puck was glaring at him, but there was a hint of hurt there, too, and Hudson had a feeling he'd tread too close to...something. He wasn't sure what. </p>
<p>Regardless, best pull back now, before he made a real enemy. "My apologies. Of course you'd know better than that." </p>
<p>Puck didn't relax his glare, but he didn't respond, either. And Hudson knew better than to try to fill the silence. </p>
<p>Owen's phone rang, breaking the impasse. </p>
<p>Just like that, the glasses were back on, the posture was straighter, the glare shifted back into a mildly bored expression, and it was Owen who flipped his phone open. "Yes, Mr. Xanatos?" A pause. "Of course. I'll be right there."  </p>
<p>A handful of subtle changes, and it was like looking at a different person, not a single trace of Puck left in his bearing. Hudson might not have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eye. </p>
<p>Owen closed his phone and tucked it back in its pocket. "Duty calls." </p>
<p>Hudson scoffed. "Back to your scheming, then."</p>
<p>Owen did not rise to that comment, and instead started to leave. He paused when he was almost outside the light of the cauldron. "We won't make the mistake of underestimating you again, Hudson."</p>
<p>Hudson crossed his arms and watched him go. "Likewise, Mr. Burnett."</p>
<p>So. Owen was Puck. Or Puck was Owen, whichever way it went. And Xanatos, for some inexplicable reason, had his unwavering loyalty, beyond the bargain that had tied them together for life. </p>
<p>Wasn't <em>that</em> a hell of a thing to know.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Come see me on:<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/mad_madam_m">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://mad-madam-m.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a><br/><a href="https://mad-madam-m.dreamwidth.org/">Dreamwidth</a><br/><a href="https://www.pillowfort.social/mad-madam-m">Pillowfort</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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